Question here: Let's say that the B1G expands to add Georgia Tech and Virginia as has been speculated. Let's also say that the SEC adds UNC and either Duke or Virginia Tech.

Suddenly, the Big 12 is in a position to add Miami, Clemson, Florida State, Duke/VT, and one other (Louisville/Cincy/Pitt/Syracuse...) to get to 16 and establish itself as the final super conference. However, that 13 year GOR could loom problematic.

Do you think the conference would restructure the GOR in order to add those schools? It doesn't seem like those schools would have a ton of leverage, but FSU, Clemson, Duke, and ND could maybe do something completely unforseen like working with the PAC 12 to become an eastern pod.

The conference could put Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, and Washington State into one pod, the for California schools in one pod, ASU, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah into one, and the eastern schools into the fourth.

Question here: Let's say that the B1G expands to add Georgia Tech and Virginia as has been speculated. Let's also say that the SEC adds UNC and either Duke or Virginia Tech.

Suddenly, the Big 12 is in a position to add Miami, Clemson, Florida State, Duke/VT, and one other (Louisville/Cincy/Pitt/Syracuse...) to get to 16 and establish itself as the final super conference. However, that 13 year GOR could loom problematic.

Do you think the conference would restructure the GOR in order to add those schools? It doesn't seem like those schools would have a ton of leverage, but FSU, Clemson, Duke, and ND could maybe do something completely unforseen like working with the PAC 12 to become an eastern pod.

The conference could put Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, and Washington State into one pod, the for California schools in one pod, ASU, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah into one, and the eastern schools into the fourth.

If the ACC were to basically be picked apart to the point where there are no viable football programs (as you seem to be speculating here) then the Big 12 would definitely restructure their GOR to add 4-6 more schools.

The travel for some of these schools has already become an issue so I would think the PAC 12 reaching all the way to the east coast for teams, regardless of how often they may play each other, seems far fetched.

It's important to remember that the only reason the Big 12 got $20M/yr is because they offer 9 conference games. Conference games are paid a huge premium by networks due to the ratings differential they bring. By being the only league at 9 games, the Big 12 gets 12% more dollars than they would with an 8 game slate. Therefore any adds (FSU, GT, whoever) must allow the league to remain at 9 league games.

FSU won't want to join a league that hamstrings them with that. Because they want to keep the Fla-Mia games if they do go anywhere.

If the ACC were to basically be picked apart to the point where there are no viable football programs (as you seem to be speculating here) then the Big 12 would definitely restructure their GOR to add 4-6 more schools.

The travel for some of these schools has already become an issue so I would think the PAC 12 reaching all the way to the east coast for teams, regardless of how often they may play each other, seems far fetched.

How do you think they would restructure the GOR? (The assumption here is that the new schools are unwilling to sign away their rights for 12 years.)

Question here: Let's say that the B1G expands to add Georgia Tech and Virginia as has been speculated. Let's also say that the SEC adds UNC and either Duke or Virginia Tech.

Suddenly, the Big 12 is in a position to add Miami, Clemson, Florida State, Duke/VT, and one other (Louisville/Cincy/Pitt/Syracuse...) to get to 16 and establish itself as the final super conference. However, that 13 year GOR could loom problematic.

Do you think the conference would restructure the GOR in order to add those schools? It doesn't seem like those schools would have a ton of leverage, but FSU, Clemson, Duke, and ND could maybe do something completely unforseen like working with the PAC 12 to become an eastern pod.

The conference could put Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, and Washington State into one pod, the for California schools in one pod, ASU, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah into one, and the eastern schools into the fourth.

I don't think its completely up to the B12 or those ACC schools. They'll do whatever secures the best contract from ESPN/FOX. If those networks say we'll guarantee "X" as long as you join and sign the GoR, then that is what the terms will be. The GoR is as much for their protection as it is for the conference.

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It's important to remember that the only reason the Big 12 got $20M/yr is because they offer 9 conference games. Conference games are paid a huge premium by networks due to the ratings differential they bring. By being the only league at 9 games, the Big 12 gets 12% more dollars than they would with an 8 game slate. Therefore any adds (FSU, GT, whoever) must allow the league to remain at 9 league games.

FSU won't want to join a league that hamstrings them with that. Because they want to keep the Fla-Mia games if they do go anywhere.

As long as Miami goes with them and they play every year, I don't see why they would care about the ninth conference game. Nothing really changed.

Besides, in a 16 team pod scenario, you wouldn't have to have nine conference games. To me, the perfect structure would be (I came up with this, but I'm sure others have as well):

Four pods of four teams. Each team has a primary rival in a different pod and a secondary rival in a third pod. Each team plays their own pod every year. They play other pods on a rotating basis. They also play their rival every year. This gets you to eight conference games except when your rival comes from the pod you are playing. In those years, you play your secondary rival for the eighth game.

You end up playing your pod and rival every year, your secondary rival two out of every three years, and other schools every third year while still only playing 8 conference games.

I don't think its completely up to the B12 or those ACC schools. They'll do whatever secures the best contract from ESPN/FOX. If those networks say we'll guarantee "X" as long as you join and sign the GoR, then that is what the terms will be. The GoR is as much for their protection as it is for the conference.

Of course it's up to those schools. If Fox stipulates that all Big 12 schools have to do "x", and "x" is a deal-breaker for those schools, they can choose not to join the Big 12.

As long as Miami goes with them and they play every year, I don't see why they would care about the ninth conference game. Nothing really changed.

Besides, in a 16 team pod scenario, you wouldn't have to have nine conference games. To me, the perfect structure would be (I came up with this, but I'm sure others have as well):

Four pods of four teams. Each team has a primary rival in a different pod and a secondary rival in a third pod. Each team plays their own pod every year. They play other pods on a rotating basis. They also play their rival every year. This gets you to eight conference games except when your rival comes from the pod you are playing. In those years, you play your secondary rival for the eighth game.

You end up playing your pod and rival every year, your secondary rival two out of every three years, and other schools every third year while still only playing 8 conference games.

Plus with expansion a conference championship game would be added, that would help offset any perceived revenue loss as well. If the 9th conference game is worth around 2-3 million, and you replace the 9th game with a championship game worth between 25-30 million, then there is no loss of revenue. Plus, with more teams, there are a greater number of conference games over all, which would increase revenue.

How do you think they would restructure the GOR? (The assumption here is that the new schools are unwilling to sign away their rights for 12 years.)

I'm not sure. I would assume that they would wait and see what a new negotiation with ESPN/FOX would bring them with the added value of those schools (assuming they bring value).

The media contracts so far for the Big 12 have not been diminished from schools leaving. I'm not saying this is a long term solution but the Big 12 did televise pretty much every single football game last year between ABC/FOX/ESPN... Additional schools to conferences don't necessarily jumpstart your television deal being that there are only a set amount time slots to show games.

I'm not sure the "new schools" will be in the position to be unwilling to sign their rights away. I'm not sure they would be against it in the first place. Either way if they have no where else to go to play competitive football they will come anyway. The Big 12 has to be given value from them though. Splitting a huge pot of $$ 10 ways is tough to move away from.

I don't think its completely up to the B12 or those ACC schools. They'll do whatever secures the best contract from ESPN/FOX. If those networks say we'll guarantee "X" as long as you join and sign the GoR, then that is what the terms will be. The GoR is as much for their protection as it is for the conference.